House Panel Backs Rape Lawsuits

Measure Also Covers Gay Bashing Victims

SPRINGFIELD — A plan to let victims of rape and gay bashings sue their attackers narrowly passed out of a House committee on Wednesday, but conservative family and business groups vowed to fight it.

The proposed Gender Violence Act has the support of Gov. George Ryan, whose Commission on the Status of Women came up with the idea for the measure and brought emotional testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.

Angelique Goitia, a Chicago resident and rape victim, testified for the bill. "There is no law that allows me to be compensated for my pain, to fight back for some of the control that was so brutally taken from me," Goitia said.

Sympathetic lawmakers say the bill would help prevent and punish acts of violence and threats by allowing people to sue the perpetrators for damages in civil court.

Business groups argue that the bill would just expand the liability for employers. The bill explicitly states that a person could sue for damages against a corporate entity as well as an individual, group or institution.

Conservative family groups consider the bill an attempt to put the state's imprimatur on homosexuality. The bill offers one definition of the offense of "sex discrimination" as making a threat against someone based on "gender nonconformity."

The bill heads to the full House for consideration, just a week after Ryan unveiled the proposal as a key recommendation of his women's commission.

The proposal is patterned after the 1994 Federal Violence Against Women Act, which gives women the option of suing their attackers in federal court. The Illinois proposal would allow victims to go after their attackers for civil damages in state court.

Critics say current laws offer adequate recourse for victims.

Although O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder, he still lost a civil judgment that cost him millions, they said. Victims of rape and domestic violence could sue as well.

"They already have rights not only in criminal court but in civil court to sue," said Rep. John Turner (R-Atlanta).

The 6-5 committee vote indicates the bill could face difficulties in the House, and Senate President James "Pate" Philip (R-Wood Dale) was skeptical about it Wednesday.

Ryan pledged support when he unveiled the bill last week.

"Our sisters, wives and daughters as well as our brothers, sons and friends deserve the right to their day in court if they are brutally victimized or threatened," Ryan said.

Public documents: Atty. Gen. Jim Ryan appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to plead for a more user-friendly law governing the release of public documents.

If the bill becomes law, people who ask to inspect a public document and are turned down would be able to go straight to the attorney general's office for help.

The office would issue an informal opinion as to whether the document should be public and would try to mediate the situation with the local government.

The person seeking the documents would then be able to use the informal finding in court if he or she wished to bring a private lawsuit against the agency in question.

In another measure aimed at opening up the operations of government to public inspection, the same committee approved a bill that would require posting legislative roll-call votes and debate transcripts on the Internet.

Votes would be available within two days, while transcripts of all debates of a particular session would be available in January of the following year.

Nursing mothers: It would be a civil rights violation to prohibit a woman from breast-feeding in a public place under a bill approved without dissent by the House Judiciary Committee.

Internet taxes: A state sales tax on products sold over the Internet could be developed under a plan approved by the Senate Executive Committee. The proposal would authorize a state Department of Revenue panel to study the idea.

Welfare recipients: The House Human Services Committee approved two proposals designed to help disabled citizens and non-custodial parents with medical costs.

One proposal would provide disabled citizens who earn less than $20,000 with free state Medicaid coverage. Disabled citizens who earn more than $20,000 could participate by paying 10 percent of what they make above that threshold.

Another plan would allow non-custodial parents of children who participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to receive Medicaid grants for medical costs.

School buses: School boards could let corporate sponsors place public service announcements on school buses under a plan approved by the Senate Transportation Committee.